I’ll admit these prosciutto wrapped figs are more of a “no-recipe recipe.” I made them during an extremely busy phase of planning for my second cookbook, when I naively invited a few friends over thinking I would have my stuff done. When the time came I just couldn’t wrap my head around cooking anything! Luckily I had a chilled bottle of white wine and a basket of fresh figs left over from the farmers’ market. I dug for a few more odds-and-ends, where I found half a log of goat cheese, fresh thyme, prosciutto, and some tasty Greek honey from our shop. I swear this is when the magic happens! They reminded me of my 5-Minute Feta Stuffed Tomatoes: An “uh-oh” appetizer that quickly becomes a go-to. The sweet figs and honey with salty ham, tangy goat cheese, and savory thyme were as delicious as any appetizer I’ve spent hours making. I felt like I had cheated!
Prosciutto Wrapped Figs Ingredients and Substitutions
You really only need figs and prosciutto to make this recipe, but I like to jazz it up with what I have on hand. Here’s what I used, most of which can be substituted—see “Ways to Mix it Up” below for more ideas:
Figs: Use any ripe figs available to you, which can range from green to deeply purple. Common varieties are Black mission Figs (purple, sweet, and rich), Kadota figs (green, slightly less sweet), or Brown Turkey figs (brownish and a bit milder). Goat cheese is optional, but it adds a lovely tangy, creamy touch. You can simply leave it out for a dairy-free option (as I often do). Fresh thyme adds a savory, aromatic note. If you don’t have any feel free to leave this out, or substitute with finely chopped sage. Honey acts as an irresistible syrup, marrying the sweet figs with the salty prosciutto (see Ingredient Spotlight below for tips). Ham: I like the thinness of Prosciutto di Parma because it adds a salty note without overpowering. But other cured ham varieties could work here, like Serrano or Jamón Ibérico.
Ingredient Spotlight
The honey ties the figs and prosciutto together nicely here, but you run the risk of making it overly sweet. Ideally you use a wildflower honey with a light, delicate flavor that won’t compete with the fig’s natural sweetness.
I RECOMMEND: Our Greek Alfa Honey, which is sourced from bees that feast on wild thyme and other aromatic herbs. It has a slightly savory quality that pairs nicely with the prosciutto and figs. BEST SUBSTITUTE: Pomegranate molasses (or maple or agave syrup if you must…)
How To Tell if Figs Are Ripe
Finding a ripe fig is pretty simple: they should be soft to the touch but not mushy. Some splitting is okay–especially if you’re getting them very fresh from a tree or your local farmers’ market. They should have a deep color and smell sweet. It might be impossible to stop eating them!
The 2 Steps to Make Prosciutto Wrapped Figs
I gave the basic amounts here, but this recipe is meant to be eyeballed. You can drizzle and sprinkle away to your heart’s content, it doesn’t need to be an exact science. Here are the steps:
Stuff the figs. Trim and halve 8 figs (you can use a knife or just tear them from bottom to top). Crumble goat cheese on top of each fig half, about 2 ounces in total. Use your hands to gently press the cheese into the fig’s flesh. Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons thyme leaves and 1 tablespoon of honey. Wrap and serve. Wrap each stuffed fig half in prosciutto, lay on your serving platter, drizzle with about 1 more tablespoon of honey, and enjoy!
Ways to Mix it Up
Even during fig season, a good fig can be hard to come by. I’ve given some other options here. But don’t stop at that! There are many ways to make this recipe your own. Some ideas:
Add a spicy note: With a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper, Urfa biber (both of which you can find at our spice shop), or freshly ground black pepper. No fresh figs? Use peaches, plums, Fuyu persimmons or very ripe Hachiya persimmons, dates, apricots, melon–really anything juicy, sweet, and seasonal. Don’t like goat cheese? Try feta or ricotta. Add crunch: Stuff the figs with a small sprinkle of roasted walnuts, pecans, almonds, or pistachios. Bake them at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, then serve warm.
What to Serve with Prosciutto Wrapped Figs
These figs fit in at many parties, from fancy cocktail vibes to casual hangs. If you’re making a spread of finger foods, I’d balance out the figs with something savory, like Stuffed Mushrooms, and something doughy, like Fatayer (Spinach and Onion Savory Hand Pies). To drink, go for a make-ahead pitcher for casual hosting, like White Sangria. Or for more of a buttoned up version, Negronis always feel rather fancy but secretly take just 3 ingredients and a stir. Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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